Shelter North West Housing Aid Centre - For anyone in Greater Manchester, Merseyside, Cheshire or High Peak.
0161 834 4809

Housing Law & Policy

The Equality Act (2010) means councils and housing providers cannot refuse to serve lesbian, gay and bisexual people or offer them a service of lesser quality than that provided to heterosexual people.

Check if your housing provider monitors sexual orientation along with other protected characteristics. Collecting this data will help them understand their service users and tackle potential discrimination and harassment.

The Civil Partnership Act (2004) extends matrimonial rights to registered civil partners in areas of property disputes and housing succession as well as benefits, pensions, children and inheritance.

There have been many acts of Parliament concerning housing and homelessness over the last 30 years, as well as numerous case law, which all impact on the housing needs of lesbian, gay and bisexual residents. These include anti-social behaviour, the right to buy and more. Councils should have information on how they allocate housing and how you apply.

Please be aware that if you are homeless and need emergency accommodation, you will need to make a separate application.

Homelessness

If you are homeless or think you are about to become homeless, you will need to contact your local authority. You can also get more help and support from Shelter and Stonewall Housing.

If you are a young person, aged 16-25 check out The Albert Kennedy Trust.

Issues paying your accommodation costs

If you are having issues paying your mortgage or rent, then please speak to your mortgage lender or landlord at the earliest opportunity, so you can agree a payment plan. Do not ignore any payment problems as you may lose your home and end up with a poor credit history, which could affect your chances of a mortgage or tenancy later.

Again, you can receive further information from Directgov or Citizens Advice Bureau (CAB).